Become a Vet Tech | Vet Tech Schools Temple Hills MD

How to Pick a Vet Tech Program near Temple Hills Maryland

Temple Hills MD vet tech diagnosing puppy Fulfilling your lifelong aspiration of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Temple Hills MD may at first feel like an overwhelming undertaking. After all, you must locate and enroll in a program that will deliver the necessary training so that you can be successful as a veterinary technician. But just how do you tackle analyzing and comparing programs so that you can make the correct choice? Many future students start their due diligence process by looking for colleges that are near their residences. Once they have located some local colleges, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and hone in on those. Although location and expense are important concerns when comparing veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your comparisons. Qualifiers such as accreditation and internship programs should be evaluated as well. The main idea is that there are questions you ought to be asking the vet technician schools you are considering before you make a final decision. We have provided several in this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we’ll go over the different roles of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

The Function of a Vet Tech in Temple Hills MD

cat with cone after surgery in Temple Hills MD One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a vet assistant, technologist or technician. Part of your determination may be predicated on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your training, but the main factor will undoubtedly be which specialty interests you the most. What techs and assistants share in common is that they both work under the immediate direction of a licensed and practicing veterinarian. And while there are many duties that they can perform within the Temple Hills MD veterinary clinic or hospital, they can’t prescribe medications, diagnose health issues, or perform surgeries. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed vet. There are technicians and technologists that work outside of the typical vet practice, for example for zoos, animal shelters or police departments. Let’s take a look at the responsibilities and education requirements for each position.

Vet Assistants in most instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by completing a certificate program at a vocational school or community college. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the vets and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Generally they are not involved with more complicated activities, such as assisting with surgical procedures. A few of their typical duties may include working at the front desk, cleaning and preparing exam rooms and equipment, or handling animals during examinations.
Vet Technicians get more extensive training in contrast to assistants and typically earn a two year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinarian counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job function is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they stand apart from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complex activities, such as assisting with surgeries or administering medication. All states currently mandate that vet technicians pass a credentialing exam for either registration, certification or licensing.
Vet Technologists are comparable to veterinary technicians and for the most part perform the same work functions. They are required to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, which typically requires four years to complete. So the only real difference between a vet technologist and a technician is the technologist’s more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work options, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally required to pass a credentialing examination for either licensing, registration or certification.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. Many may obtain certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in Temple Hills MD laboratories or research facilities as well.

Veterinary Technician Online Programs Offered in Temple Hills

student attending online vet tech school in Temple Hills MD An approach that may be a solution for those with a busy lifestyle or who are working full time while going to vet school is to enroll in an online training program. Since the classes are offered via the internet, students can attend on their own timetable wherever a computer is accessible. The syllabus is taught using multiple methods, including slide shows, videos and live streaming webinars. And since the majority of vet tech and technologist degrees require practical training, that part can typically be completed as an internship or work study program at a local Temple Hills MD veterinary practice or hospital. Distance learning, as it is also called, may in many instances lower the cost of your education. Tuition and supplementary costs, for instance for commuting and study materials, can be cheaper compared to more traditional classroom programs. Just make certain that the online school that you enroll in is accredited, either by the AVMA or another nationally certified accrediting organization. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything is included for a complete education. So if you are disciplined enough to learn in this more independent mode, an online vet tech school may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Temple Hills MD Vet Tech Schools

Questions to ask Temple Hills MD vet tech schools At this point you probably have determined which veterinarian degree that you wish to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are a large number of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Temple Hills MD area and across the Country, you need to ask some important questions to help fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our opening, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other essential qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a program that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.

Is the Vet College Accredited? It’s important that you make sure that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously mentioned, among the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive review process that verifies you will obtain a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many Temple Hills MD area veterinary clinics and hospitals.

What is the College’s Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you select should have an outstanding reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other pointers include checking with internet school rating websites and contacting the school’s accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Maryland school licensing department if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, contact some Temple Hills MD vet clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They might even recommend some schools not on your list.

Are Internships Offered? The best way to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Find out if the programs you are reviewing have internship programs established with Temple Hills MD veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. The majority of veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and a large number provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinary community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.

Is Job Assistance Offered? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician school may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are evaluating. A lower rate might signify that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may mean that the program has an exceptional reputation within the Temple Hills MD veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may signify that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you may receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Temple Hills MD colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You might also want to participate in a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.

Where is the School Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Temple Hills MD home, you have to make sure that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won’t be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located close by or within a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.

Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it’s imperative that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Temple Hills MD. Some may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, sickness or family responsibilities. You may discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet training into your active life.

Enrolling in a Vet Tech School near Temple Hills MD?

If you have decided to attend a Veterinary Technician Program in the Temple Hills Maryland area, then you may find the following information about the location of your school campus interesting and informing.

Temple Hills, Maryland

Temple Hills is a suburb of Washington, D.C., southeast of the downtown district. It is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.[1] As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,852.[2]

The community was named after Dr. Edward Temple, who in the 1860s lived in a home beside Henson Creek known as Moor Park.[3] Within the area are numerous garden apartments, duplexes, and single family communities constructed mostly from the 1950s through 1970s. The large community of Hillcrest Heights is nearby (and has a Temple Hills mailing address), with the 1960s 2-level Iverson Mall and Marlow Heights shopping centers.

Rosecroft Raceway (since 1949, harness horse racing) is nearby in Oxon Hill, although the racing audience has declined greatly. There are large public indoor and outdoor swimming pools operated by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and also the private Temple Hills Swim Club. The area is especially convenient to the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495), the Metrorail Green Line, Andrews Air Force Base, the U.S. Census Bureau, and Capitol Hill.

Select the Right Veterinary Technician School near Temple Hills MD

Temple Hills MD vet tech holding dog Selecting the ideal vet tech school is a crucial first step to starting a gratifying career providing care and treatment for pets and livestock. Future students thinking about veterinary technician schools must make their determination based on several key issues. Veterinary technicians and technologists work in veterinary clinics and hospitals and animal shelters. They usually take on administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animals as needed. As we have discussed, it’s essential that you select a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to online vet tech programs as well. By asking the questions provided in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to reduce your options so that you can make your final choice. And by picking the ideal college, you can reach your goal of becoming a veterinary technician in Temple Hills MD.